A Star Valley man accused of killing his wife during a drunken argument in November 2024 was found not guilty Tuesday by a jury following a six-day trial that ran a day longer than originally planned.
The closely watched case stretched through the holiday weekend before jurors ultimately returned an acquittal.
The verdict marked the latest turn in a case that has hung over western Wyoming since Jared Erickson’s wife, Tennille, was found dead in her Star Valley home in November 2024.
"We appreciate the jury's hard work on the difficult case," said Erickson's defense attorneys, Tom Fleener and Devon Peterson.
Assistant District Attorney Blaine Nelson, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the state, declined to comment on the trial or the verdict. Multiple voicemails to the District Attorney who filed the inititial charges, Dan Itzen, were not returned.
Contentious Case Finally Reaches Jury
The case had drawn attention months earlier during a contentious preliminary hearing in Lincoln County Circuit Court, where prosecutors laid out the foundation of their allegations while defense attorneys pushed back hard against the state’s theory.
During those earlier hearings, prosecutors argued they believed the evidence pointed toward criminal responsibility, while the defense repeatedly characterized the case as built too heavily on assumptions and speculation.
That back-and-forth carried into the trial.
Over six days, attorneys questioned witnesses, picked apart investigative decisions and dug into forensic details as jurors heard two very different versions of what happened inside the Ericksons’ home that night in November 2024.
At times, objections and disagreements between the attorneys slowed testimony as both sides argued over wording, evidence and how far witnesses should be allowed to go in their answers.
Then in Tuesday, jurors reached a unanimous conclusion: not guilty.
"It's hard to know what resonated most," said Fleener, "but we hope they sensed that we presented our case with honesty and integrity."
The acquittal means Erickson will not face criminal punishment in connection with the case.
"This case has taken an emotional toll on all involved, and we hope the families and community can begin to heal," Fleener added.
Friend Calls Verdict 'So Disappointing'
Among the witnesses called during the trial was Alison Penny, who said she had known Tennille Erickson “her whole life.”
Penny traveled from Jackson to Kemmerer expecting to testify early in the week, believing she would likely take the stand early in the trial. Instead, she and her husband spent much of the week holed up in a motel waiting for her to take the stand, which was pushed to Thursday.
“It’s been one of the most stressful, gut-wrenching things I’ve ever done in my life,” she said.
“Now to have this be the outcome, I’m just so disappointed,” she added after learning Tuesday night that jurors had acquitted Erickson.
“She was an excellent mother, she was an immaculate homemaker, a good friend, and she is missed,” Penny said.
Death By Blunt Force Trauma
Prosecutors alleged the case stemmed from a drunken argument between Jared and Tennille Erickson at their Star Valley Ranch home.
According to court documents filed in the case, Jared Erickson called 911 on Nov. 17 and reported finding his wife unresponsive in a bedroom with blood and vomit on the bed.
Investigators later alleged Tennille Erickson spent much of the following day secluded in the room after the couple argued the night before while drinking.
Court records said Tennille sent her husband a photo showing bruising and swelling on her face along with a text asking whether she should “send these around.”
Prosecutors also pointed to messages Tennille allegedly sent to a friend claiming her husband had beaten her.
Responding deputies and medical personnel observed bruising on Tennille Erickson’s forehead, eye and torso when they arrived at the home. Prosecutors later argued those injuries were consistent with blunt-force trauma and not an accidental fall, according to the affidavit.
Defense attorneys, however, maintained Tennille Erickson struggled with alcoholism and health issues, and argued her injuries could have resulted from falls or other non-criminal causes.
Court records indicated Jared Erickson told investigators the couple had a volatile relationship and both had been drinking before the argument.
After a roughly seven-month investigation, Erickson was charged with manslaughter in May 2025. A year later, he maintains his innocence and has been cleared of criminal charges.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
